What Is The One Thing You Wish People Knew/ Understood About Ptsd Or Trauma?

[EloiseLandau]

It's still frustrating, mind you, but people can still be supportive and helpful even if they don't understand.

If you need a hug, you need a hug. If you need someone to listen and simply listen, then you need someone to simply listen. If you need space, you need space.

People don't need to "get it" to get it.

 

[Grace Hope]

I wish people especially the professionals would realise that PTSD is a life long, life threatening illness thats is not just about mental health issues. Its about physical, psychological, social and very personal issues. Sometimes its about not being able to get basic support from the people employed to do that particular thing, just to get a roof over your head, food, a coat or blanket for warmth, and most of all supported medical aid geared for your Illness and injury thats been officially diagnosed. This by a competant person who is trained, certificated and experienced in the right area that your problems are dianosed as.

If this had all come about in good time at the right place for one person then maybe David Rathband, from Blyth, UK, an ex Police Officer, a couragious, humanitarian, whose charitable work is still going to carry on. My Icon who was showing me the brave new world he had by allowing Himself in the media. He gave me the knowledge that people like us can go out into the world and succeed.

That was until he hung himself.

And he who did so much for people was let down, in more was than one.

David Rathband, 20/01/1968 to 29/02/2012

Rest in peace,

IN NOMINE PATRIS ET FILLI ET SPIRITUS SANCTUS, AMEN


God bless
Clan Destany

 

[Nemo38]

He gave me the knowledge that people like us can go out into the world and succeed.
That was until he hung himself.
And he who did so much for people was let down, in more was than one.
David Rathband, 20/01/1968 to 29/02/2012

Hi Clan Destany,
Sorry for your loss. I pray that you and others who knew him, would remember him for the way he lived his life and the good things he passed on, instead of the way he died. May his soul rest in peace.

 

[Lionheart]

I view PTSD as a psychological injury and I wish other people could also see it in this light. Trauma most often hurts us to the core and leaves no area of our lives unaffected. It seldom, if ever goes away on it's own and getting help to deal with it should be seen as a strength and not a weakness.

I guess I am saying that I wish there were no social stigma attached to PTSD/mental illness.

 

[Philippa]

I just wanted to say that I think you are all wonderful.

Once upon a time, I was one of those very ignorant people who hadn't experienced any trauma, and even though I was being invalidated regularly, I didn't realize I was, and just learnt to be numb, so I would judge people who lived in the past quite harshly...until I experienced that for myself, and although I do think I am much more grounded and don't do it as much...I do recall not being able to stay in the present and lose concentration really easily...and it was really hard to not be that way!

My evolution as a human being has taken many interesting twists and turns and quite a few painful ones, which have led me to really understand things I never used to as a teenager...and now I really get it. I am on the other side of the fence, and I have had so many people throw the same judgments at me that I once used to throw at others...and it hurts so much. It just hurts and it is such an incredible battle we fight every day.

I guess that is karma in action or something...though I think it's more like what one member pointed out...one day it could be you on this forum, so don't judge another until you've walked in their shoes.

Shit happens in life, and it's such a precarious journey...you never know when things could go wrong. At some point it does for everyone I think, in some way.

I'm much wiser than I used to be...though somewhat more fragile and easily upset as well.

Everyone who posted here has helped me immensely...thankyou.

 

[timetorecover]

I WISH that people understood that PTSD is not just for Veterans and Police.

Its a general label. Everyone is different and has had different experiences.

Its not my fault. I am a victim of shock and trauma, I am unwell and need to get better.

:mad: I CANNOT CONTROL MY SYMPTOMS:mad:

 

[Tinyflame]

Dear timetorecover, we CAN learn to control our symptoms BETTER.
(((Hugs))), it can be tiring and frustrating.

 

[PTSD sufferer]

I agree with what all of you have said. It is hard enough to deal with the illness, without having to deal with others reactions to us and our illness.

I would probably want 'others' to understand the following:

- Stop trying to tell me what I 'should' think, feel, know and do.
- Stop trying to 'fix' me, because that is my job and I don't try to 'fix' you.
- Everything is relative to the person experiencing it - my relativity is different to yours.
- I know me and my experiences, and reactions better than you, and you don't know me at all really.
- I am trying to heal, I am trying to fight, either be supportive of my process, or leave just leave me alone.
- Don't use my mental illness against me, I have enough to deal with, without your nonsense stigmas.
- My reactions are warranted, because there is always a cause for reacting (trigger from the past or a current fear).
- Respect me, my boundaries, and that I am the the best person to make decisions for myself.
- No movie portraying PTSD is an accurate account of the illness.
- Flashbacks are nothing like 'watching a scary movie'. I feel all the emotions, physical sensations, etc of that trauma that was once a real life scenario for me. There is nothing entertaining about that.
- Accept that you don't know what it is like to have been through what I have, and you never will.
- Don't minimize my experiences, because you don't know and have not experienced what I have.
- You will probably never understand my pain, and I sincerely hope you never will.

That is pretty much it...

 

[melody]

I don't think I've ever clicked like so many times on a thread, but you all seem to be inside my head - one way or the other.

This statement rings the truest for me though... (thanks Shell)

That I didn't ask for this to happen, I didn't ask to be caught in the past, to over react , that I'm really not crazy and that I too wish that I could put the past where it belongs and feel like an adult all the time. Sometimes, it feels like they think I want to be like this.

I WISH I could get my head out of the past! And yes I know(!!) it's a nice place to visit and I shouldn't want to live there, but don't you think that if I could close the door and never look back, that I would?!

 

[Panama Pete]

- Accept that you don't know what it is like to have been through what I have, and you never will.
- Don't minimize my experiences, because you don't know and have not experienced what I have.

Well said and spot on. The only thing I would change would be to add an extra sentence to the two bullets I culled form your post. I would add to each of them "And I thank GOD you don't / never will because I would not wish this on anyone, even my worst enemy."

 

[PTSD sufferer]

Sorry, I wrote my list as if I was talking to non-PTSD people in my life, I hope I didn't upset anyone.

PP, absolutely agree with you with your additions!

 

[Deleted member 12723]

I wish people understood that PTSD is something I need to manage every day, just like allergies, or diabetes, or high blood pressure. It takes time away from them sometimes, and they don't really understand that I need that time to prepare to be able to deal with things better.

I agree 100%.